Thursday, May 15, 2008 | Reason : In the News | print version

Group finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle

by Star Tribune

Thanks to DoctorE for the link.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/18969709.html

Group finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle
By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

A Christian group based in San Diego found grounds for outrage over the new retro-style logo.

Seems that one person's smut is another person's morning latte.

A Christian group based in San Diego found grounds for outrage over the new retro-style logo for Starbucks Coffee.

The Resistance says the new image "has a naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute," Mark Dice, founder of the group, said in a news release. "Need I say more? It's extremely poor taste, and the company might as well call themselves Slutbucks."

The group, which claims more than 3,000 members nationwide and has found a place on the fringe advancing various conspiracy theories, is calling for a national boycott of the coffee-selling giant.

The logo will run on Starbucks cups for "several more weeks," said company spokeswoman Bridget Baker, and will live on as the logo for Pike Place bags of coffee.

The image is a less-revealing version of what the chain used for many years, starting when it first opened in Seattle in 1971. That original logo was resurrected in its Northwest outlets for a time in 2006 to mark the chain's 35th anniversary.

Baker said the newly revived logo was "modified a bit [from the original] based on feedback" from Starbucks customers during its 2006 appearance. "We feel it's appropriate," she said.

The explanation for that initial logo is explained in the book "Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time," written by company founder Howard Schultz:

"[Creative partner Terry Heckler] poured [sic] over old marine books until he came up with a logo based on an old 16 Century Norse woodcut: a two-tailed mermaid, or siren, encircled by the store's original name, Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice. That early siren, bare-breasted and Rubenesque, was supposed to be as seductive as coffee itself."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Add to del.icio.us Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008 | Permalink

Comments 1 - 50 of 95 |

Reload Comments | Back to Top | Page Numbers

1. Comment #180822 by LeeC on May 15, 2008 at 10:44 pm

A storm in a teacup?

Sorry - I'll get my coat

Other Comments by LeeC

2. Comment #180823 by MaxD on May 15, 2008 at 10:51 pm

Wow. I didn't think much of Starbucks but that they aren't changing their logo for some whiny assholes bumps them up a bit in my estimation.

Other Comments by MaxD

3. Comment #180827 by Raiko on May 15, 2008 at 10:58 pm

Sometimes I really wonder whether those moments of "Oh this is so perverted, it offends me!" are just an expression of the viewer's perverted mind.

I see a piece of art of a retro-style mermaid with two tails, traditionally with a naked upper body. If someone else sees a prostitute's spread legs, it makes me wonder about them...

Other Comments by Raiko

4. Comment #180828 by Damien White on May 15, 2008 at 11:01 pm

Wow - cognitive dissonance has immediately set in. On the one hand, i'd like to point out to 'The Resistance' that the logo is in fact a twin-tailed mermaid with seaweed for a hat; while on the other i'd like to point out to Starbucks how goddam *stupid* it it to have a twin-tailed mermaid wearing seaweed for a hat as a logo for a coffee company.

Other Comments by Damien White

5. Comment #180830 by mordacious1 on May 15, 2008 at 11:04 pm

I think this mermaid has a crocoduck as a pet.

I know.... but I just had to bring it up.

John Ashcroft drinks starbucks, but he keeps his thumb over the boobs.

Other Comments by mordacious1

6. Comment #180836 by icanus on May 15, 2008 at 11:44 pm

"The Resistance" say it's a picture of a prostitute...right.

Well I'm choosing to be offended by their logo. It contains an uppercase "R", which is clearly a stylised image of a large breasted woman with no head viewed from the side. Disgusting.

Ooh. This is fun. What other innocuous imagery can I find to be offended by? If only there were some group insensitive enough to use an execution/torture device as their logo.

Other Comments by icanus

7. Comment #180839 by JamesDB on May 16, 2008 at 12:22 am

HAHA icanus thats great, i got a nice laugh out of your last comment.

Wah wah boo frickedy hoo. They really can find anything to complain about. Whats up with them calling themselves the resistence, they are the majority in the country. Who are they supposed to be afraid of?

Other Comments by JamesDB

8. Comment #180841 by acs on May 16, 2008 at 12:27 am

I dont get it, who are Resistance resisting - Free trade?

Usually someone "resists" an oppresive force - are we expected to believe that an image (in their terms) of a "naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute" is oppresive?

If you dont like the logo, dont buy the coffee.

Ironically, by trying to restrict free trade, Resistance = the oppressor (!?)

Other Comments by acs

9. Comment #180842 by The Truth, the light on May 16, 2008 at 12:29 am

If Christians can see the image of the Virgin Mary in an old fence post or a piece of toasted cheese, then I guess it doesn't take too much imagination to turn a mermaid into a spread legged prostitute.

Other Comments by The Truth, the light

10. Comment #180843 by epeeist on May 16, 2008 at 12:29 am

Comment #180830 by mordacious1

John Ashcroft drinks starbucks, but he keeps his thumb over the boobs.

So is he using his thumb to hide them or to fondle them?

EDIT: And what do the faithful think of something like this -

Other Comments by epeeist

11. Comment #180844 by Philip1978 on May 16, 2008 at 12:41 am

Aaahhrrrrrrggggghhhhh

Must control my uncontrollable lust, I saw her midriff....must find sedatives.... Gaaaahhhh I have become so overwhelmingly concupiscent all of a sudden... my lascivious nature just simply is bringing out words I never knew how to spell let alone say...my goodness, will you look at that Mermaid with the 2 Tails, my prurient mind simply cannot take it any more, JOSH, remove this filth that has already stained my mind and eyes before I finally lose it all and start using words like libidinous! :)

I'll be back after my cold shower....

Other Comments by Philip1978

12. Comment #180848 by Tagred on May 16, 2008 at 12:51 am

How do these people actually populate the planet?

Other Comments by Tagred

13. Comment #180851 by epeeist on May 16, 2008 at 1:02 am

Comment #180848 by Tagred

How do these people actually populate the planet?

The same way as you and I. The difference is they do it with all the lights out, blackout material over the windows and wearing neck to floor nightclothes. Foreplay probably consists of praying for god to forgive the sin they are about to commit.

Presumably they never watch TV, look at advertisements if they can help it, never look at pictures like the one I have linked to, never read books that contain the word f*ck (expletive suitably censored to avoid frightening the horses) or any reference to human biology etc. etc.

Other Comments by epeeist

14. Comment #180852 by Philip1978 on May 16, 2008 at 1:09 am

The same way as you and I.

You are having an affair with Tagred? You naughty man! I know Richard Dawkins.net has been bringing people together recently but this is all so sudden epeeist, what will the wife and kids say? :)

Other Comments by Philip1978

15. Comment #180853 by rutty on May 16, 2008 at 1:11 am

The Resistance says the new image "has a naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute," Mark Dice, founder of the group, said in a news release. "Need I say more? It's extremely poor taste, and the company might as well call themselves Slutbucks."

If the company really wanted to be offensive they'd call themselves "Starf*cks"

Can you say "fuck" around here?

Other Comments by rutty

16. Comment #180854 by lozzer on May 16, 2008 at 1:15 am

"Slutbucks."

Amazing!

:D

Other Comments by lozzer

17. Comment #180855 by GordonYKWong on May 16, 2008 at 1:17 am

"Need I say more? It's extremely poor taste, and the company might as well call themselves Slutbucks."

Damn!! Now I gotta think of a another porn actor name for myself.

Other Comments by GordonYKWong

18. Comment #180856 by PJG on May 16, 2008 at 1:17 am

Can you say "fuck" around here?

Yes. Ask Irate_atheist. :o)

Other Comments by PJG

19. Comment #180858 by alexmzk on May 16, 2008 at 1:21 am

someone get a burka on that mermaid quick! she'll catch a death of cold.

Other Comments by alexmzk

20. Comment #180859 by yogibear on May 16, 2008 at 1:23 am

Wow

This is great, the more stupidity they come up with the more nuts they look to the average joe. Keep it coming, let the world realise what a theocracy would be like. I can say fuck, fuckbucks, much better than slutbucks.

Other Comments by yogibear

21. Comment #180862 by Ultraviolet G on May 16, 2008 at 1:28 am

Epeeist: Jean Fouquet - wonderful!!!!

Of course, many fundamentalists see all representative art, fiction etc as idolatry and evil.

Raiko: hits the nail on the head. "Moral" campaigners always seem to think up the most twisted interpretations of innocent things. "Gay rights?? It will lead to hardcore butt-sex toilet orgies in the streets!!!" Er, guys...maybe *you* have the problem??

Other Comments by Ultraviolet G

22. Comment #180864 by Grumpy Max on May 16, 2008 at 1:32 am

At first sight I thought it must be a lady pouring out two bags of coffee in front of her. I thought the scales were the beans, tumbling out.

I feel twee compared to you worldly lot!

Other Comments by Grumpy Max

23. Comment #180867 by Roland_F on May 16, 2008 at 1:51 am

Oh no, these faithheads have really too much fantasy in their misery cult with suppresses sexuality.

Just because Saul/Paul of Tarsus had a problem, attributed to a suppressed homosexuality or impotence and he hated himself, all women and all sexuality, lust, fun and enjoyment -- he preached his misery so that all should become self hating like him.
And now 2 billion Christians (and much more billions over the last 2 millennia) follow his self hating, woman despising misery cult and feel offended from any hint of sexuality.

Other Comments by Roland_F

24. Comment #180868 by Shuggy on May 16, 2008 at 1:58 am

a naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute

Do prostitutes spread their legs in a different manner from other (naked) women? How do these people know? Actually, if they were legs and not tails, they would be spread more like a contortionist, or someone suffering some kind of rubbery-bones syndrome.

Grumpy Max:

I thought it must be a lady pouring out two bags of coffee in front of her. I thought the scales were the beans, tumbling out.

By George, he's right! It does look like that, more anyway than the prostitute version.

Other Comments by Shuggy

25. Comment #180872 by Jamie Walton on May 16, 2008 at 2:20 am

Slutbucks?????

If any of my fellow band members are reading this, we have a new band name!!!!!

Other Comments by Jamie Walton

26. Comment #180873 by notsobad on May 16, 2008 at 2:20 am

Why don't these busy bodies do some charity or something useful instead of being stupid?

Other Comments by notsobad

27. Comment #180876 by lazlow on May 16, 2008 at 2:29 am

Well, they get a home, have jobs, eat three meals a day and eventually children just show up.

I think that's how it gos.

Other Comments by lazlow

28. Comment #180877 by alfonso on May 16, 2008 at 2:32 am

Funny, if I believed in any of that bullshit I would have thought that sex is a gift from god to be enjoyed in every form that we consenting adults can think of. That would include sexual artistic expression, of course.

On the other hand, I see absolutely nothing sexual about the starbucks logo. And I am well known as a sick perv among friends and family!

3000 people nationwide? 3000???? That's fucking nothing.

Other Comments by alfonso

29. Comment #180881 by nalfeshnee on May 16, 2008 at 2:47 am

Well, they get a home, have jobs, eat three meals a day and eventually children just show up.

Three WARM meals!

Comedy genius from Messrs. Fry & Laurie: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wwo8qxUit00

Other Comments by nalfeshnee

30. Comment #180884 by Apathy personified on May 16, 2008 at 2:54 am

'Slutbucks' - wow, i'm so there.
I have to add to the comments already on the post, the fact that the people look at a two tailed mermaid and 'see' a sexual image speaks volumes for their own sexual repression, maybe they should at least try another position, instead of just closing their eyes and then crying afterwards.

Alfonso; that's 3000 out of 300 million, that's basically less than nothing. How many people accross America and the World use Starbucks everyday,...exactly.

Other Comments by Apathy personified

31. Comment #180885 by Apathy personified on May 16, 2008 at 2:58 am

Haha, just thought, slutbucks brings a whole new dimension to 'grande mocha with whipped cream'.

It's ok, i can show myself out.

Other Comments by Apathy personified

32. Comment #180886 by lazlow on May 16, 2008 at 3:04 am

Three WARM meals!

I think they can accept cold meals, too. I never new Gazpacho soup to be the work of the devil. Of course, Rimmer would disagree!

Other Comments by lazlow

33. Comment #180889 by rotaTOR on May 16, 2008 at 3:05 am

icanus wrote

If only there were some group insensitive enough to use an execution/torture device as their logo.

there is...the Christians with their crucifixes

Other Comments by rotaTOR

34. Comment #180890 by Quetzalcoatl on May 16, 2008 at 3:08 am

rotaTOR-

what about the Star of David? That could do some damage if it got lobbed at you.

Other Comments by Quetzalcoatl

35. Comment #180892 by epeeist on May 16, 2008 at 3:17 am

Comment #180890 by Quetzalcoatl

what about the Star of David? That could do some damage if it got lobbed at you.

cough

Of course there are some gods who are execution/torture devices in their own right.

Other Comments by epeeist

36. Comment #180894 by black wolf on May 16, 2008 at 3:26 am

Quetz, epeeist,
Stephen Colbert writes that fencing should involve throwing stars, first blood and masculine pirate sabers to become a respected sport...
Let's see: stars, crescent-shaped sabers with cross-shaped hand protection, piracy... Now just how do we get the Buddhists into the scheme? Any suggestions?

Other Comments by black wolf

37. Comment #180895 by The Reverend Dark on May 16, 2008 at 3:27 am

Quetz spoke from on high

Cough-jiu-jitsu-Cough

Cough-Christian-jitsu-Cough.

The starbucks logo. Hmmm. Something is very fishy there. Is it disgusting, disgraceful, etc. I think Cat (Red Dwarf fans look up) might be right though... That's the stupid way.

I wonder how these fundamentalist gimboids feel about church architecture and the presence of Sheela na Gigs. I'd buy a cup of coffee from one of those, I wouldn't even resent have to call a large vente. Well I wouldn't resent it as much...

Cheers,
The Reverend Shayne Dark

Other Comments by The Reverend Dark

38. Comment #180896 by Quetzalcoatl on May 16, 2008 at 3:31 am

Black Wolf-

Take a Dharma wheel, attach scythes to the hubs, roll at your enemies. Job done.

Other Comments by Quetzalcoatl

39. Comment #180897 by black wolf on May 16, 2008 at 3:35 am

Wow, I think our new supersport will be better than baseketball.
Let's also give the fighters robotic arms to incorporate Hinduism.
And they'll have to drink half a bottle of Rum to give Voodoo its part.
The winner gets to ride home on a kangaroo, and the loser gets knocked into Dreamtime.

Other Comments by black wolf

40. Comment #180901 by SilentMike on May 16, 2008 at 3:47 am

"has a naked woman on it with her legs spread like a prostitute,"

I'm pretty sure those aren't her legs. Legs don't bend that way, plus they tend to end with feet.

Other Comments by SilentMike

41. Comment #180903 by rod-the-farmer on May 16, 2008 at 3:55 am

How much you wanna bet that Slutbucks will now become the popular name for this place ? And people will ask why, and then we can show them the logo, direct them to this nut job who complained, and we can stand back saying quietly "Another point for the team opposed to idiocy in religion. Yeaaayyy !"

As a Canadian, I feel I should point out that the ubiquitous Tim Hortons coffee & donuts chain has for many years been popularly known as "Horny Tims". Yes, we had it first. And I never heard of any religious types complaining. Yeeaaaayyy ! They have been expanding into the U.S. for some time now.

A side bar comment is that Canadian troops fighting and helping reconstruct in Afghanistan mentioned that the thing they missed most when serving in Afghanistan was their "Timmies". So, the Tim Hortons people set up a store there to keep the troops happy.

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

42. Comment #180904 by Corylus on May 16, 2008 at 4:00 am

Hmm.

So we have someone setting up a group called 'The Resistance' and then going up against a huge company...I'm smelling a martyr complex here.

"Infamy, infamy.... they've all got it in for me."

Other Comments by Corylus

43. Comment #180910 by toddaa on May 16, 2008 at 4:44 am

For a big heapin' helpin' of crazy, go take a look at the Resistance web site. Don't post there, though. Atheists and their brothers in arms Satanists are not welcome.

http://www.theresistancemanifesto.com/

Other Comments by toddaa

44. Comment #180911 by Szymanowski on May 16, 2008 at 4:44 am

I'm surprised that no-one has asked what, exactly, is offensive about a depiction of a naked woman, one of God's creations.

Other Comments by Szymanowski

45. Comment #180912 by epeeist on May 16, 2008 at 4:47 am

Comment #180910 by toddaa

For a big heapin' helpin' of crazy, go take a look at the Resistance web site. Don't post there, though. Atheists and their brothers in arms Satanists are not welcome.

http://www.theresistancemanifesto.com/

Wow, something that makes Vox Day look sane.

Other Comments by epeeist

46. Comment #180913 by k1mgy on May 16, 2008 at 4:50 am

Well, I want to lodge a protest too.

I find the christian symbol of a crucifix quite distasteful. It's actually something, in all seriousness, that I will NOT allow my children to see. They're 5. When a bit older and able to process this idiocy, it will be introduced. Until then, I don't want to be forced into a position having to explain it.

The image of some guy hanging from a chunk of wood with spikes through his flesh and blood dripping down his forehead is gross, and violent. In the least, like violent TV, it ought to be regulated.

Let's launch a national protest movement against the crucifix.

Anyone care to raise a cup of brew to that?

Other Comments by k1mgy

47. Comment #180915 by Luthien on May 16, 2008 at 4:57 am

Ooh. This is fun. What other innocuous imagery can I find to be offended by? If only there were some group insensitive enough to use an execution/torture device as their logo.

ROFL, nice one!

Other Comments by Luthien

48. Comment #180918 by Enlightenme.. on May 16, 2008 at 5:18 am

I had a salesrep in my shop 2 days ago,
after finishing his pitch (website-build, marketing) for nigh-on 1 hour, he noticed in his surroundings my copy of Hitch's book on the counter.

"Are you a scientist"

Erm.. Me?, [a shopowner].. a scientist?..
Well, uh, well okay, yes in my little oxford here [I point to it].. a student of science - Yes ok, I'm a scientist..

"Can you get something [I mishear] nothing"
I recall a flag going up when he mentioned some stuff in the pitch about "we do this [updating stuff] for free" - so I respond "yes - there's no such thing as a free lunch..."

"No, I meant Can you get something *from* nothing?"
[I'm cottoning on fast now - the "scientist" query alarm bell was kicking in!!]

Anyroad up..
Within two to three minutes of this radical tangent in the conversation..

"Did you know that [I didn't catch what brand of other higher primate - Gorilla, Chimpanzee, whatever].. the females DON'T HAVE A CLITORIS" (!!??!!)

Yes I have a died-in-the-wool new friend!
He has my card and may be back.

Other Comments by Enlightenme..

49. Comment #180919 by Philster61 on May 16, 2008 at 5:24 am

Hopefully these fundies will be so offended by every sexual connotation that they will no longer procreate themselves.Then after awhile,no more fundies.

Other Comments by Philster61